This resource looks at the design of boats and the materials used to make them. Students will make and test their own model boats.
Structure and features
Discuss with the students
Why do people use boats? How were they used in the past and how are they used now? How have materials changed over time and why?
Investigate and define
There are many materials that boats are made of. Aboriginal people have made canoes for thousands of years from bark, a material that floats well. Go to the national maritime museum and take a look at some Aboriginal water craft. You can also see this Behind the News story about reviving the practice of making a bark canoe using the knowledge of the Kaurna people.
Generate and design
What other materials are used to make boats? Visit this ABC Education page and watch a video on how boats are made from different materials.
What materials could you make a model boat from?
Produce and implement
Try making a boat out of:
- paper
- popsticks and glue
- aluminium foil
- bark.
See this YouTube playlist on how to make boats out of these materials – or you could make your own design. The first 3 have a similar design.
Try and see how many Lego people or coins fit into your boat before it starts to sink. Which material works best? Remember in order to be a fair test your boats have to be the same design.
Evaluate
Film and explain your designs and post them in a safe online space.
For families
This resource can be used over a few small sessions or a whole day. You can choose different parts to do.
For teachers
This activity could take a number of hours to complete. Students could work on it progressively over time. It could be a whole unit. You could run sessions this way:
- investigate and define – 1 session
- generate and design – 1 session
- produce and implement – 4 sessions
- evaluating – 1 session (this could be an assessment task).
Do more with older students
Ask students to create a self-propelled boat. Ask the students – how could you get your boats to move? The last two videos in the playlist are about how to make self-propelled boats. Ask students to choose from a broader set of materials like Lego, balsa wood or other materials like plastic and metal.
Teacher notes
Curriculum links
This resource is part of the Design and Technologies subject in the Australian Curriculum, with a focus on the context materials and technologies. It achieves the goal of students designing and creating a product.
